The Prophetess of Redemption

by Mrs. R Goldzweig

www.kabbalaonline.org

One of the foremost righteous leaders of the Jews in Egyptian exile was the prophetess Miriam, sister of Moses, in whose merit the Jewish nation drank from a miraculous well which followed them throughout the Sinai desert and beyond.

Her Childhood

Miriam was one of the three children of Amram and Jochebed; Aaron and Moses were her brothers. She was born at the time that the Egyptians began to oppress the Children of Israel and embitter their lives; she was thus named "Miriam", meaning "embittered" (in Hebrew, "mar" means "bitter").1

Several years after she was born, Pharaoh's astrologers told him that the savior of Israel will meet his end by water. Pharaoh then decreed that all male Jewish babies be thrown into the Nile, and he entrusted the Jewish midwives, Shifra and Pua, with this task. (According to many sources, Shifra refers to Jochebed, and Pua refers to 5-yr-old Miriam, who assisted her mother.)

Amram then divorced his wife, in despair from this decree. Being that he was the head of Sanhedrin, the rest of the Jews followed his example. His daughter Miriam's reaction: "Father, your decree is harsher than Pharaoh's, for Pharaoh's decree is directed only against the males, whereas yours is directed against both males and females".2 Amram thereupon remarried his wife with great ceremony and all the Jews again followed suit.

After the Children of Israel escaped from Egypt and had crossed the Red Sea, Miriam and the women took up these instruments, and they danced while singing the song of redemption with complete faith and joy, following Moses' cue

Before Moses was born, 7-year-old Miriam prophesied, "My mother is destined to bear a son who will redeem Israel".3 When Moses was born, the whole house was filled with light. Her father kissed her on her head and said, "My daughter, your prophecy has been fulfilled.".4

When Moses was 3 months old, Pharaoh's scouts discovered the newborn baby and ordered him cast into the Nile. Jochebed then slapped Miriam on the head and said, "My daughter, where is your prophecy?"5 When Moses was placed into the Nile in a basket, Miriam stood from afar to see what would become of baby Moses - and her prophecy. At that time, the astrologers told Pharaoh, "The savior of the Jews has already been cast into the water," and the decree was rescinded.

Exile and Redemption

At the age of 80, Moses received a prophecy that the redemption was near. When he relayed this message to the Jewish men, they were unable to believe it, being too embittered from their slavery and suffering.

"Women have greater faith than men."6 Therefore, the wives rejoiced in Moses' message of salvation and continued to encourage their husbands by decorating themselves with make-up and jewelry when meeting them after their long, grueling day's work. They even fashioned tambourines in the depths of the Egyptian exile under Miriam's direction, in anticipation of the coming redemption.

The Red Sea split on the 22nd of Nisan, enabling the Jewish nation's safe crossing while escaping the Egyptians in pursuit, whereupon after the Children of Israel escaped from Egypt and had crossed the Red Sea, Miriam and the women took up these instruments, and they danced while singing the song of redemption with complete faith and joy, following Moses' cue. Although not yet in the Land of Israel, still in exile in the desert, they had perfect faith in their full redemption.

Miriam's Well

"There were three good shepherds/providers that were given to the Jewish people: Moses, Aaron, and Miriam. And three good gifts were given in their behalf: the Manna in Moses' merit, Seven Clouds of Glory in Aaron's merit, and a [mobile] well in Miriam's merit."7 Throughout their 40-year sojourn in the desert, they ate wondrous manna, were surrounded and protected by seven Clouds of Glory, and drank water from a miraculous well. Thus were their basic needs of food, water, and shelter provided for in the desert.

The Ari teaches that when a well of water is dug, a corresponding spiritual well of water is opened in the upper worlds, causing the spiritual energies of faith contained in the upper waters to permeate the atmosphere and giving people more faith and belief in G-d (since any action done in the physical world causes a corresponding action in the spiritual world). The Forefathers dug wells in their efforts to spread the belief in G-d to the world. Thus, Miriam's well is connected to her deep belief and faith in G-d.8

Miriam had two merits connected specifically with water, and there are differing opinions for which merit the well was bequeathed: watching over Moses' rush basket in the Nile in his infancy9 and exuberant praise after the Splitting of the Sea on the banks of the Red-Sea.10 Indeed, it was entirely to Miriam's credit that the Jews continued to procreate in Egypt in spite of Pharaoh's decrees and she even helped to keep the babies alive and supplied them with food.11 Therefore, water - the most crucial of these needs - was in her merit.12

In addition, the Me'am Loez explains that the "Well of Miriam" was more to the Israelites than just their source of water. When the leading clouds came to a stop it indicated to the nation that they should make camp. The arrangement of the camp as detailed in the beginning of the Book of Numbers was deliberate and divine, and directed initially by the well, which would move to the very center of the camp, marking the position of the Tabernacle. The well then overflowed and created a canal system that delineated the placement and boundaries of each tribe within the desert encampment.

Miriam had two merits connected specifically with water

The Tosefta describes it: "... like a rock full of holes, trickled and rose like the water of this small jug, it ascended mountains with them and descended to the valleys with them....the princes of Israel surrounded it with their staffs and recited over it the song "Rise up well and answer her, rise up well and answer her",13 and it bubbled and rose upwards like a pillar".14

"And Miriam died there... And there was no water for the congregation."15 On the tenth of the month of Nissan, Miriam the prophetess died16 and the people complained of great thirst. Then Moses came upon a "rock", actually the well in hiding, and hit it to provoke it to again provide water. Although Moses was punished by this episode by not being allowed into the Land of Israel, the well itself was renewed and continued to accompany the children of Israel, in his merit.

Oral Torah and Written Torah

The Ari explains that subsisting on manna and roving-well water had a purpose beyond miraculous survival in the desert. Manna, given in Moses' merit, aided the Jew's understanding of the written Torah; the well-water, given in Miriam's merit, aided their understanding of the oral traditions of Torah and caused these traditions to become engraved on their hearts. In fact, the letters for the Hebrew word for "well", "be'er", are the same letters as the word for "interpretation".17

The oral traditions of the Torah were given concomitantly with the 24 written books of the Torah at Mt. Sinai. These include laws that are called "laws of Moses, from Sinai", although not included in the Written Torah (contradicting the belief that the oral traditions were entirely a result of confusion of the law as a result of the passage of time.)

Rabbi Shneur Zalman of Chabad explains that the Oral Torah is the "feminine" recipient of the "masculine" Written Torah, as the Oral Torah fulfills the "feminine" function of developing each brief teaching from the Written Torah and nurturing it into full flower.18

When studying or reading the Written Torah, one recites a blessing over it even when he understands not one word, for the letters themselves are intrinsically holy and comprehension is secondary.19 On the other hand, if one does not comprehend what he is learning in the Oral Torah, he is not permitted to recite the blessing over Torah, as its study without comprehension does not constitute Torah study at all.

The above notwithstanding, Jews also approach the Oral Torah with simple faith that transcends logic. Thus, a Jew will not adjudicate Torah law according to his own logical conclusions if his opinion is contradicted by an earlier Torah sage, one whose legal opinions are accepted by most Jews as binding. The above holds rue even when, according to the rules of logic, the person feels himself to be completely in the right. Unlike secular wisdom, Torah logic and faith go hand in hand.

When studying or reading the Written Torah, one recites a blessing over it even when he understands not one word, for the letters themselves are intrinsically holy and comprehension is secondary

Until Today

The well did not abandon the nation of Israel even after their entrance to the Land of Israel, as opposed to the Manna and the Clouds of Glory; in fact, it continues to contribute from its wondrous powers until this day. When they entered the Land under Joshua,20 the well also entered the Land, where it became hidden:

"Rabbi Chiya said: whoever wishes to see Miriam's Well should go up to the top of the Carmel and look out, and they will see a type of sieve in the [Mediterranean] sea."21 According to another source, the well sank into the Sea of Galilee: "It happened that someone who suffered from boils went down to immerse in the waters in Tiberias; it was an opportune time, and he saw Miriam's Well and washed in it and was healed".22

The Ari is said to have taken Rabbi Chaim Vital on a boat in the Sea of Galilee and given him a cup of this water to drink, after which Rabbi Chaim Vital was finally able to understand the teachings of his master.

Even in our day and age, "some have a tradition to draw water [from a well] Saturday night because Miriam's Well supplies all the wells each Saturday night, and one who does so and drinks will be cured of illness".23 Indeed, Miriam's Well is said to feed the waters of Israel's most important water reserve nowadays, the Sea of Galilee, while hidden in its depths.

R. Goldzweig , a member of the KOL staff, is a long-time immigrant to Tzfat from Chicago as well as mother of 10. She has a teacher's diploma from the Jerusalem College of Women.

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Torah is G–d’s teaching to man. In general terms, we refer to the Five Books of Moses as “The Torah.” But in truth, all Jewish beliefs and laws are part of the Torah.

Chabad

Chabad, an acronym for Wisdom, Knowledge, and Understanding, is the name of a Chassidic Group founded in the 1770s. Two of the most fundamental teachings of Chabad are the intellectual pursuit of understanding the divine and the willingness to help every Jew who has a spiritual or material need.

Joshua

1. Assumed the leadership of the Jewish people after Moses died in 1267 BCE. He split the Jordan River and led the Jewish people in their conquest of the Promised Land.
2. One of the 24 books of the Bible, which chronicles Joshua's leadership.

Sanhedrin

The Jewish Supreme Court. The court would convene in a designated chamber in the Holy Temple, and was comprised of 71 of the greatest scholars of the time. Continued after the destruction of the Temples, but was dissolved in the 5th century when due to Roman persecution the seat of Torah scholarship relocated from Israel to Babylon.

Moses

[Hebrew pronunciation: Moshe] Greatest prophet to ever live. Led the Jews out of Egyptian bondage amidst awesome miracles; brought down the Tablets from Mount Sinai; and transmitted to us word-for-word the Torah he heard from G-d's mouth.
Died in the year 1272 BCE.

Nissan

The first month of the Jewish calendar. This month, which falls out in early spring, is known for the holiday of Passover which starts on the 15th of Nissan.

Aaron

Brother of Moses. First High Priest of Israel and progenitor of all Kohanim (priests) until this very day. Died in the year 1272 b.c.e.

Jerusalem

Established by King David to be the eternal capital of Israel. Both Temples were built there, and the third Temple will be situated there when the Messiah comes.

Miriam

Older sister of Moses and Aaron, and a prophetess in her own right.

Tabernacle

Mobile sanctuary which traveled with the Jews in the desert, containing the Ark with the Tablets, and the sacrificial altars. When the Jews entered Israel, it was erected in the city of Shiloh where it remained for more than 300 years. It was buried when the permanent Holy Temple was erected in Jerusalem.

G-d

It is forbidden to erase or deface the name of G-d. It is therefore customary to insert a dash in middle of G-d's name, allowing us to erase or discard the paper it is written on if necessary.